


Just Down the Hall

by wibblywobblymess



Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-21
Updated: 2013-06-21
Packaged: 2017-12-15 17:40:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/852240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wibblywobblymess/pseuds/wibblywobblymess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set during "After School Special" (4x13) - Even though the boys are only at Truman a few days, Dean meets the cute young history teacher when she pokes her head into the gym during her free period. She catches his attention quickly, and him hers, but she realizes he's not sticking around, and neither are ones to live in the illusion that he's one to stick around - and she doesn't mind. </p><p>{Sorry, summary sucks. But I was watching 4x13 today, and I just wanted to get this out. Enjoy!}</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Down the Hall

The room was a buzz when she opened the door, the voices not faltering or stopping even as she put her bag on the desk and looked around. Some of the kids were talking hurriedly, hands moving, brows furrowed – concerned, freaked out – but there were a few kids who were laughing, talking normal. Nothing out of the ordinary. 

Clearing her throat, she put her hands up, and motioned for them to quiet down. When only a few did, leaving the ones in letterman jackets and cheerleading uniforms laughing and talking, she put her fingers between her lips, and blew, eyes screwed shut until all she could hear was her own whistle. Upon opening her eyes, she saw the room silent, everyone staring at her in surprise. 

“When the bell rings, and my hands go up, you stop talking. I get that we’re all still a bit freaked out by what happened to Taylor, but today is a new day, and we still have to get through Friday’s homework before we can catch up to today,” she spoke, voice loud over the class. A timid hand rose, and she sighed, nodding. “Marshall?”

“No break? What April did to Taylor was…pretty traumatizing,” he replied, shrugging. 

“Yes, it was awful, and I know that, we all know that. But we can’t stop, or we’re going to fall so far behind that I’ll have to ask for extra days to teach you the rest of the lessons.” Despite the entire class groaning at that thought, books cracked open, and she turned away from them, a small, tired smile on her lips.

Thankful for the free second period, she made her way down the hall towards the library, pausing by the gym at the sound of kids screeching, shoes scuffing. She poked her head around the cracked door, and raised a brow at the big red balls flying through the air. Dodge ball. It brought a smile to her lips, and god, she couldn’t help the laugh when a stray ball cracked one of the kids upside the head, knocking him to the ground. 

“Skipping class to watch kids get beaned?” sounded a low, gruff voice a few feet away. It startled her, and she jumped, dropping her books to the hardwood.

“Oh! Geeze, don’t…I’m sorry,” she laughed, her face burning red as she bent down to pick them up. Boy was she glad she wore jeans that day. His hands came into her line of vision, large and calloused, and helped her gather her books. 

“Didn’t mean to scare you…”

“It’s okay, I didn’t…I didn’t see you. I’ve got a free period right now, and honestly, I don’t feel like grading,” she answered, tucking her brown hair behind her ear as she looked up at him. Those sharp green eyes caused her breathing to hitch, catch in her throat, and she stared at him for a moment, completely lost. Furrowing his brow, he waved his hand, and held out the books he gathered, smiling a little as she blushed, took a breath, and reached for her things. Her fingers brushed his hand – much gentler than they looked – and tucked the items against her chest.

“Grading…you’re a teacher?” The tone of his voice was clear surprise, and it made her laugh again as she rolled her head to the side, and nodded.

“Yes. We get younger every year,” she teased. “I’m Emma…history teacher. Classroom down the hall,” she said, motioning over her shoulder. “You must be Ms. Boudreaux’s sub?” His lips curled into a smile, and he parted them to give her his name, but she saw him hesitate as his green eyes met her blue ones, and he cleared his throat, pretending he hadn’t.

“Dean, yeah.”

“Dean…I like that. So, do you _like_ having the kids assault each other with red rubber missiles? Or did you just not want them doing anything else?”

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with dodgeball,” he asserted, making her smile a bit more as he turned to see the kids racing about in the gym.

“I didn’t say there was. But these kids haven’t played it under Ms. B’s watch once – she has some sort of vendetta against that game.”

“Who has a _vendetta_ against that game?”

“Ms. B, apparently,” Emma answered, smirking. “Don’t get me wrong…I love pelting kids in dodgeball. I was finally getting good at it when we stopped playing growing up. Do you know how pissed I was?” Dean snickered, and glanced at her, sliding his eyes down her frame as she focused on the kids. 

“I’d be pissed too.” She knew what he was doing. It made her blush, and she glanced sideways at him, smirking. 

“You always check out the teachers at the schools you sub at, Dean, or am I just special?” He sputtered a little, laughing, and pushed off the wall, twirling the whistle between his fingers. 

“You’re the only female teacher I’ve met who doesn’t appear to be married, and is more in my age range.” 

“You thought I was a student.”

“So shoot me.” Emma giggled, and reached out to press her hand against the wall as she moved to stand straight.

“My gun’s at home,” she countered. “And I try not to shoot the handsome teachers – there are so few. The gym shorts don’t hurt anything, either.” Dean twisted his head to see her, to see if she was joking, but there was a smile on her face, and a twinkle in her eye, that told him she wasn’t. 

“If it helps…I figured you were a senior, if you were a student at all.”

“Helps a little – I was legal when I was a senior,” she answered, before glancing up at the clock. “I, uh…I should get going…I have to grab a few books for my next class out of the library. But…I’ll see you later?” 

It took what control he had to stop himself from telling her no, that he and his brother were leaving that day – no point in sticking around. But instead he smiled back, and nodded.

“Sloppy Joes for lunch – I’m sure as hell sticking around.” With a soft laugh, and a wave, Emma slipped out of the gym, and started down the hall. Dean peered out after her, moving the whistle between his lips, and grinned when she stopped and turned. 

“I don’t know if you like them or not…but tomorrow is hamburgers…and they’re not bad, but I always bring some fixin’s from home to make them better. If you’re still here…I’d happily bring enough for you.”

“What kind of fixin’s?” he asked, curiously, around the whistle.

“Cheese. Bacon. Everything else they usually have here.” Dean took a step out of the gym, letting the whistle fall to his chest, and pointed out towards her.

“I believe _you_ have a date.” The grin split her lips as it stretched across her face, and color filled her cheeks as she waved, spun on her heels, and made her way to the library. 

Emma had barely gotten to the books she needed when the fire alarm went off overhead, and she jerked upright, and turned, ushering the kids that were in the library out of the room, and through the exit a few feet away. Most of the other classes were coming out, but Emma still made the run along the building, making sure doors were open, and kids were coming out. She stumbled near the gym, and jogged up, holding the door for the kids to finish filing out. Dean was bringing up the rear, and without a thought he put his hand against the small of her back, pulling her away from the building.

“Most schools give warning of a fire drill, don’t they?” he asked her, turning back to see the building.

“They give us about a week’s notice…nothing specific…but this wasn’t a fire drill…” she told him, shifting to see him. “Either there’s actually fire in there, or something else happened…” He could hear the worry in her voice, and he instinctively hooked his arm the rest of the way around her, squeezing her gently.

“It’ll be fine.”

“After what happened last week, I’m not holding my breath.”

“Last week?”

“…one of the smartest girls in my first period class drowned one of the popular girls in the first floor ladies’ room…in the toilet,” Emma murmured, leaning her body against Dean’s. He raised a brow, and looked down at her as she sighed, and returned his gaze. 

“Did you know the popular girl?”

“Yes…um…” She shifted, looking around to be sure none of the students were close enough to hear. “I don’t…usually speak ill of the dead? But she was…one of those girls I hated in high school…the ones that made life more of a living hell than it had to be,” Emma whispered, leaning in close to Dean so no one could overhear. He shut his eyes, listening, and nodded a little bit as she spoke. 

“What kind of girl were you?” he asked curiously, making her pull back, brow furrowed, but smiling a little, confused. 

“I was the smart girl that no one noticed until it was time to copy homework.”

“Did you go to school here?”

“Just senior year. Um…I think the janitor is trying to get your attention,” she said, noticing the tall guy in the dark blue button up and jeans, looking at but not motioning for Dean. The man beside her shifted, seeing him, and nodded towards him before looking back at Emma. 

“I’ll be right back,” he promised, ducking away. Emma slid her hands into her pockets as he walked off, and turned towards another nearby teacher. They didn’t have to wait long, until the speakers dotting the building hissed and crackled. 

“ _Attention all faculty, staff, and students – will everyone report to the auditorium for an immediate Non-Violence assembly. Everyone, report to the auditorium immediately._ ” 

“Oh, God,” Emma sighed, laying her hand over her face as her shoulders fell. 

Another one. They had another one. In less than a week, they had two incidents, and Emma had no idea what to make of it. Fights were normal, after all, it was high school. But they’d never had a nonviolence seminar, and that was enough for her to know this was beyond serious. It startled her, when Dean found her again, and led her into the building through the cracked gym door. 

“I need a favor…”

“Okay?”

“How long have you been working here?”

“Four years,” Emma answered, following him across the empty gym, a brow raised. “…why?”

“When they said everyone, does that mean the people in the principal’s office?”

“He’s probably the one giving the seminar, so yes. But we’ve never had one of these before, so…your guess is as good as mine. What’s going on, Dean?”

“A kid in home ec shoved someone’s hand into a blender.”

“Oh, _Jesus_!” she exclaimed, clamping her hands over her mouth. “What the hell is going on?” He eyed her, frowning at the concern on her face, and stopped walking, resting his hands on her shoulders.

“I don’t know…but I’m going to find out…can I trust you to give me a hand?”

Her eyes shot up to his, confusion etched all across her features. Despite the awareness that she didn’t know Dean, and that she didn’t know what he was thinking, she nodded, and cleared her throat.

“If you make this stop, I’ll give you both,” she said softly, a small smile cracking in the corner of her mouth as he chuckled. 

“I need to get into the principal’s office…I need to look at some records, and I’m sure everyone will be at the assembly, but, uh…in the event that someone comes around, I could use a hand.”

“As long as you aren’t about to look through kids’ records to see which seniors are legal, I’m yours.” He couldn’t fight the smirk as he hooked an arm around her waist, and walked with her into the empty hallway. 

The auditorium was a few halls down, and another few turns and halls brought them to the dark office. His fingers tried the knob – locked, as he assumed it would be – before they dug into his pockets, and he grumbled.

“What?”

“I don’t have a pick.” She patted his shoulder, and stepped back, reaching up to undo her hair. Dean frowned, unsure as to what she was doing, until that small bobby pin poked up between her fingers. 

“Will this do?”

“Beautiful, smart, _and_ helpful. You’re the whole package.”

“Shut up and open the door before I kiss you,” she blushed, turning her back on Dean to keep an eye on the hallway. He smirked, and crouched down, fumbling the bobby pin into the lock. Emma listened for a minute as he scraped and poked, trying to get it right, before chuckling. “Or kick you out of the way and do that myself.”

“You think you can pick this lock?”

“You think people just wear bobby pins anymore?” she asked, glancing at him over her shoulder. “I’m not just a pretty face. I’ve got some moves if I need them.” His hands faltered, and he dropped the bobby pin, as he looked up at her with an incredulous look. With a sigh, and a stifled laugh, Emma moved to pick up the bobby pin, nudging him out of the way as she slipped it in, rocked it and popped it into place, and twisted the knob, opening the door.

“I think I’m in love.”

“Come on, Romeo, just get in there,” she giggled, pushing him into the dark room, and plucking the pin out. “I’ll stay here, keep an eye.”

“Good idea.”

It took about ten minutes before she heard him finally getting into the filing cabinets, and she leaned into the room, clearing her throat.

“Any luck?”

“Not yet.”

“Maybe I can help, what are you looking for?” Dean didn’t answer her for a few minutes, and she frowned, leaning against the wall. _Okay…maybe I can’t…not like I gave you the bobby pin or anything_ , she thought to herself, looking back down the hall. Still nothing. 

“Do you know if anyone died here?” She frowned, peering back.

“Here, as in, inside the school?”

“Yeah.”

“…there’s a boy that died…um…he killed himself…he was a Sophomore when I was a Senior…” She stopped, frowned, swallowed, and closed her eyes. “Killed himself in the ladies room…”

“What year was that?” Dean asked, looking in the file, not noticing the sadness that formed on her face. 

“1998,” she whispered. He stopped, frowned, looked over at her, and watched as she stepped out of the room, a hand across her lips. 

When he came out of the office a couple moments later, he had a piece of paper in his hands that he folded, put in his pocket, and locked the door behind him. Emma had pocketed both of her hands, but her head was down, and she didn’t even seem to have noticed Dean behind her. 

“Em?”

“You finished?”

“What’s up?”

“…I remember when that boy killed himself…There was one cop, and the ambulance…And after a moment of silence the next morning, no one seemed to think about him. No one talked about him. I wasn’t familiar with him, I didn’t know him, but I thought that was so shitty.” 

Dean saw the sadness in her eyes, and he sighed, resting his hand against her cheek. He guided her over, and pressed a light kiss to her lips. Her breath hitched, and her eyes went wide, but she did, finally, place a hand on his chest, and kiss him back, letting her eyes flutter shut. A small smile pulled at their lips, though neither was sure who smiled first, as she trailed her arm around his shoulders, trailing her fingers along the back of his neck. It brought a soft groan over his lips as he parted them, silently asked for permission as his tongue slipped across the seam of her lips. No sooner had she opened up, flicked her tongue against his, did the sound of footsteps come up around the corner, followed by that of someone clearing their throat.

“Miss Caine? Is there a reason you aren’t at the assembly?” the older voice asked, causing both to jerk, and pull back. Dean smirked a little, but Emma’s entire face burned as she turned, and grimaced.

“I am so sorry, Mrs. Walters, I was actually…I mean…” She paused, and cleared her throat. “Yeah…I…we were just heading there now,” she said, reaching for Dean’s hand, and ducking around the older woman a few feet away. Mrs. Walters just snickered, shaking her head, as she removed her key to go into the office. 

“You sounded like a high schooler getting caught in the closet,” Dean laughed softly, catching her about the waist just down the hall. Emma laughed, and elbowed him, shaking her head.

“I never got caught in the closet, so I suppose that’s been hanging around, waiting for the perfect moment. You realize if that was _anyone_ else, I’d be getting written up for inappropriate conduct?” 

“Good thing it wasn’t anyone else,” he murmured, tilting her chin up to press another kiss to her lips before opening the door, and letting her into the auditorium. 

“Can I ask you a question?” she asked softly, as they stood in the corner near the doors, so as not to disrupt the assembly.

“You just did.”

“Dean.”

“What’s up?”

“Why did you need to find out about that kid?” she asked, looking up at him, her back against the cold tile wall. Dean frowned, hesitant, but she gave his hand a squeeze. “You can trust me…my lips are sealed if you want them to be.”

“It’s not that I don’t, because I do appreciate the help getting into the office back there…but really, this is one of those things you just…you don’t want to know about.”

“Dean,” she started, frowning.

“No, Em, really, you are so much better off not knowing.” Before she could argue, Dean pressed one more kiss to her forehead, let go of her hand, and disappeared out the door into the hallway. A soft swear passed her lips as she flopped against the wall, and rolled her head, reluctantly focusing on the assembly. 

Emma tried to look for him after the assembly, but school was dismissed for the afternoon due to the incident, and many of the teachers left faster than the students. She hid her disappointment, and made her way home, trying to focus on her work instead of the mystery gym sub with the beautiful green eyes. 

It didn’t work so well, though she did manage to get through the stack of papers she’d been holding when she first stepped into the gym. By the end of the night, she was lying in bed, trying to forget about Dean, and force herself into a restless night’s sleep. 

The disappointment she hid when she didn’t see Dean after the assembly returned when she poked her head into the gym during her free period, and found a different sub in the middle of the room, a soccer ball under his arm. Frowning, she made her way down the hall to the library, looking over at the librarian with a half-smile.

“Your books are still there, hon,” she told Emma without prodding, and looked back down at the book in her hands.

“Thank you.” 

Her feet carried her back to the shelf along the wall, just beneath the window that looked out upon the parking lot. Crouching, she pulled a few books off the bottom shelf, and stood to look them over. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a car pulling up, but not parking, prompting her to lift her head and look. The janitor from the day before climbed out, and she could see, in the driver’s seat, Dean. Her face burned when her heart skipped a beat, but she tucked the books away, excusing herself, jogging into the hallway, and out the exit. 

Dean jumped as she leaned against his open window, but chuckled, and rolled his head to see her.

“Emma.”

“You sub for one day, and then don’t show up for burgers?” she asked, frowning. He sighed, his half-smile disappearing, and looked away. 

“Yeah…Emma, look…”

“No…no, it’s…It’s okay. Free period, I saw you from the library, and…and I’m not here to give you shit. Really.” There was skepticism in his eyes as he looked back at her, but she brushed it away when she leaned through the open window, and kissed him softly. “I…just came out to give you this,” she said, pulling a small paper bag out of her shoulder bag, and handing it to him.

“What’s this?”

“They cut everyone loose early yesterday, and the Sloppy Joes were pretty much ready, so…they cut burgers from today, and just decided on yesterday’s lunch since no one ate it. I was…looking forward to burgers, so I picked a couple up on my way in, one for you, one for me…Since you aren’t staying, I thought you might like that to go.” Dean’s face softened as he opened the bag, and grinned up at her.

“Emma, you didn’t have to.”

“I know. I wanted to. I’m just…going to guess…that you aren’t coming back?” Dean hesitated, that smile dropping just a bit, as he shook his head.

“No…Sammy and I are leaving.”

“Sammy?”

“My brother…the janitor.” 

“Oh…nice. Well…it was nice, you know…talking to you while you were here…” she said, lowering her hands off the door. “Beautiful car.”

“It’s my baby.”

“She looks loved. Keep her that way.” Emma hesitated, before reaching in, and patting his shoulder. “Take care of yourselves, okay?”

“You alright?”

“Not every day the hot guy with gorgeous eyes kisses me in the hallway…but yes, I’ll be fine.” Dean laughed, and reached up, catching her wrist.

“You’ll be glad that I didn’t stick around, Em…I’m not really the best person to want around.” She frowned, and twisted her arm, raising his hand to press his palm to her cheek. 

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Her lips parted to argue against his statement, but she sighed, and lowered her eyes to his hand. “I would argue…but I think you’re just going to leave anyway, so, I’ll spare us both. Just be safe.”

“As safe as we can.” She smiled, blushing as he took her hand again, and kissed her knuckles, before she waved, and headed back into the building. 

Admittedly, Emma hated the fact that Dean seemed to have this effect on her. She was the smart, down-to-Earth history teacher, daughter of a cop who knew all the tricks in the book but never had cause to use them. Growing up, boys didn’t notice her. Now, most men that talked to her were too intimidated when they found out her dad was a cop, or that she owned a gun, to make any moves. Clearly, Dean was different. She didn’t have any need to tell him her dad used to be a cop, and he didn’t look at her like she was crazy when she mentioned having a gun. But when the following day came, and her first class of the day would _not_ stop talking about the “drug bust” on the bus the night before, by the gym class sub, she couldn’t help but smile, and duck her head. 

As she stood in the doorway, and let the class filter into the hallway at the end of the house, her eyes caught sight of Sam hanging back through the windows, just outside the building. Her face lit up, and she closed and locked the door behind her, trailing into the empty hall as he came into the building. The two hadn’t met, really, so she felt odd, stopping to say hi. But she did tilt her head up to see him, and smiled sweetly as she passed him. It was a smile he didn’t expect, but that he returned, as he headed on by. 

Just outside in the lot, she saw the beautiful black Impala parked, engine off, with Dean leaning against the trunk. Emma stumbled, stopped, and blushed a deep crimson as he looked up at her, and waved.

“I was wonderin’ if you were gonna come outside.”

“I saw Sam…knew you couldn’t be far behind,” she admitted sheepishly, crossing the lot to him with her hands in her pockets. “I heard there was a drug bust last night, led by the undercover gym sub?” she asked, peering up at him as she leaned against the trunk beside him. 

“…bus driver smokes pot.” Despite the chuckle, Emma elbowed him lightly, and shook her head.

“I know that’s not true…but I won’t ask you to tell me again.”

“Good…because I’m telling you, you wouldn’t look at me the same away again.” She scrunched up her face, before smirking, and looking up at him. 

“You mean I wouldn’t look at you like this anymore?” she asked, resting her chin on the backs of her hands, fingers laced, blinking up at him sweetly. Laughing, Dean pushed her shoulder, and slung his arm around her, nodding.

“Yeah, something like that.”

“Well, unless you were to tell me you were a rogue assassin, just killing random innocent people, I’m pretty sure I’ll look at you like that anyways.” Dean hesitated, but shrugged, though before he could answer, she patted his chest. “I do mean innocent. If you kill people who’ve done something wrong, then have a ball, Dean…” she assured him, before pushing up onto her toes, and capturing his lips. He smiled into it, combing his fingers into her hair, and held her close to return the kiss for a moment before she pulled back, and rested her forehead against his cheek. 

“You probably wouldn’t say that if you knew what I did for a living.”

“My dad was a cop, Dean, and I have had enough of the guilty going free. Take ‘em out, and make sure they know why,” she replied, stepping back. “Whatever it was you did last night, on the bus…I’m glad you did it, and I’m guessing it means that the random assaults we had are over?”

“Yeah…now it’s back to a normal high school existence.”

“Yes, because that is something I love.” He smirked.

“You know you do, or else you wouldn’t be here.”

“I wanted to be a cop,” she admitted. “Just like dad. But I broke my back during college, and I can’t do what they do,” she told him, shaking her head. “Being a teacher was my fallback.”

“You seem to do it well, if you’ve lasted four years,” Dean said softly, thumb stroking her cheek.

“I wish you could stay…at least buy me a drink.” They both chuckled, and he pulled her up for another quick kiss. 

“Nomadic lifestyle, we never stay in one place for very long.”

“Must be lonely.”

“…I’ve got Sam.” Emma pushed her hand into her pocket, removing the pen she kept there, and gently turned his hand palm up. He raised a brow as she turned her back to him, and leaned against his chest, holding his hand up in front of her, and dragged them pen across his skin. “Emma?”

“I know that…this is weird…but there’s something I like about you, Dean. Something that makes me smile when I think about you. So if you get lonely…if you get bored…if you just want someone to talk to…call me, okay? I’m not…I try not to live in a fantasy world, so I’ll understand if you wash your hand and I never hear from you, or see you, again…but just humor me for now, okay?” Dean looked down as she pocketed the pen, and let his eyes fall to the number, and her name, scripted across his palm. 

“…I have to tell you, Em…if we were here for good, I would definitely take you out tonight for a beer and a burger, which, by the way, was _awesome_ yesterday.” Smiling sweetly, Emma leaned up, and kissed him again, dragging her fingers across his cheek lightly. 

“I’ll remember that. So, be aware, if you come through town again, you owe me dinner and a drink.”

“Deal.” Another kiss, and she heard the door to the building creak and slam shut.

“Sam?”

“Yeah…” Emma sighed, and patted Dean’s chest lightly, taking a step back.

“Drive safe. Be safe. And for the love of God, don’t settle for a shitty burger.” That one made him laugh, as he gave her hand a squeeze, and nodded.

“I won’t…take care, Emma.”

**Author's Note:**

> \----  
>  _I do not give permission to have any of my works put up on goodreads or any other such site_


End file.
